Electric fan



April 14, 1936. I J G, MACDQNALD 2,037,250

ELECTRIC FAN Filed Sept. 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l lnvenlor A Home) fJlacdw/a/d April 14, 1936. J. G. MACDONALD ELECTRIC FAIN Filed Sept. 3, 1935 Sh eet 2 4 Sheets q 7 I I Invenlor Jldcdona /cZ- A llomey J. G. MACDONALD ELECTRIC FAN Filed Sept. 3, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor J Md cafo/ ra/d A llomey April 14, 1936. J. G. MACDONALD ELECTRIC FAN Filed Sept. 3, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor WaccZ m a /cZ A Home}:

Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC FAN John G. Macdonald, Toronto, Ontario, Canada REISSUED 7 Application September 3,-1935, Serial No. 39,057

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improvement in electric fans, of the character utilizing a series of vanes for deflecting the air currents from the fan which vanes are oscillated by a mechanism coacting with the motor-driven fan.

My improvement consists of a' simplified oscillating mechanism to move the deflecting vanes, a suitable metal case having special design features to surround the working mechanism of the fan so as to act as a support and also a protection all of which features are constructed to enhance the appearance of the fan.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an electric fan of the character referred to that is strong, compact and durable, thoroughly reliable for its intended purpose, very light in construction, having very few parts to need repair and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and; illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is disclosed an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved electric fan embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof showing parts in vertical section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 4 and looking downwardly.

Figure 4 is a detailed vertical section thereof having parts broken away.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the deflecting vanes removed from the casing.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the connecting link for oscillating the deflecting vanes.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section through the pivotal connection between the supporting arms and the casing.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the eccentric connection between the connecting link and the drive shaft.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the disk on the terminal of the drive shaft.

Referring to the drawings in detail the numeral I indicates an oblong base which may be formed of metal or bakelite. Carried by the base is a conventional switch arm I I of a switch not shown, for controlling the electric current that drives the fan. Rising from the base at each end are the vertical supporting arms I2. To enhance the appearance and add symmetry and balance I prefer to make the casing A of a square configuration. This casing is formed of light sheet metal having integral top and bottom walls l3, l4, re- 10 spectively, and side walls l5. The casing A is open at forward and the rear ends to allow currents of air to pass therethrough. The handle [6 is secured to the top wall l3. On intermediate portions of the side walls l5 spaced horizontal l5 ribs H are formed to enhance the appearance of the fan. Acrossthe rear open end of the casing A are the crossed braces l8. The outer ends of the vertical portions of the crossed braces are respectively joined with the top and bottom walls of the casing respectively. The ends of the horizontal portion of the crossed braces are respectively joined to the opposite side walls l5. The crossed braces merge with each other at the center of the rear open end of the casing. Where 2 the crossed braces l8 merge at the center there is supported an electric motor l9 and the motor extends into the casing. The motor l9 drives the fan 20. On the rear side at the juncture of the crossed braces Hi there is a gear casing 2| having a. flange 22 bolted as at 23 to the crossed braces. The armature shaft of the electric motor I9 is formed with a rearward extension which projects into the gear housing 2| and is formed with a. worm gear 24. Within the gear housing 2| is a transverse horizontal shaft 25 journaled at its opposite ends in the walls of the housing. On an intermediate portion of the shaft 25 is a gear 26 which meshes with the worm gear 24.

The drive shaft for oscillating the deflecting vanes is indicated at 21 and this shaft is arranged in a vertical position. The lower end of the shaft 21 extends vertically through the gear housing 2| and has journal bearings on the top and bottom wall of the housing. On the portion of drive shaft 21 within the housing there is a gear 28 which meshes with a. worm gear 29 on the shaft 25. The upper end of drive shaft 21 terminates below the top wall 13 and on the outside of the casing. Near the top of the upper vertical portion of cross brace I8 is a bearing bracket 30 that supports the upper end. of the drive shaft 21.

Above the bearing bracket 30 there is a disk 3| secured to the terminal of the drive shaft 21. The disk is disposed in a horizontal plane. At

v a portion of the disk 3| there is a radially disposed slot 32 that provides for adjustment of the connecting rod as will hereafter appear.

Across the bottom wall I4 of the casing is secured a bearing bar 33 inside the casing and to the rear of the forward open end thereof. The center of the bar is formed with a raised rib 34 and along the rib 34 are spaced openings. On the top wall I3 is secured a bar 35 similar in all respects tolthe bar 33. Arranged between the bars, forwardly of the fan 20, and to the rear of the open forward end of the casing are the spaced deflecting vanes 36. The deflecting vanes oscillate on trunnions 31 and these trunnions are journaled in the openings in the raised ribs formed in the bars 33 and 35. The deflecting vanes oscillate on a vertical axis. Each Vane 36 is formed with an extension 38 on the rear upper corner which extension terminates in a sleeve 39.

There is a T-shaped connecting bar or rod for oscillating the vanes and this connecting rod is arranged under the top wall I3 above the ends of the fan blades. The stem of the connecting rod is indicated at 45 and extends rearwardly through an opening in the upper vertical cross brace. The rear end of the stem 40 is formed with a slot 4|. The shank 42 of a bolt extends through the slot M in the stem of the connecting rod and also through the slot 32 in the disk 3|. The head 43 of the bolt bears on the upper face of the stem 40. Between the stem 40 and the disk 4| there is a washer 44 surrounding the shank of the bolt,

and this washer spaces the disk from the stem. The lower end of shank 42 projects below the lower face of disk 3| and carries a nut 45 thereon. To exert a tension on the bolt there is a coiled spring 46 bearing at one end against the disk 3| and at the other end against the nut 45. Tension on the spring 46 is sufiicient to retain the bolt in any set position along the slot 32 whereby the stroke of the connecting rod may be regulated for controlling the oscillation of the deflecting vanes.

The forward end of the stem 40 of the connecting rod merges with the center of the crosshead 41 and this cross-head 41 carries depending pins 48 which ar iournaled in the sleeve 39 on the upper corners of the deflecting vanes 36. It will be seen that as the disk 3| revolves the connecting rod having an eccentric connection therewith by means of the bolt or shank 42 the connecting rod will move back and forth in a horizontal plane thereby oscillating the vane which deflects the current of air back and forth.

The entire casing A is adjustable on a transverse horizontal axis. To accommodate this adjustment there is a relatively large rectangular opening 50 in the bottom wall. The supporting arms I2 rise from the base and extend through this opening 50. The free ends of the arms I2 terminate adjacent the side walls at approximately the center of gravity of the casing. To provide a pivotal connection between the arms I2 and the casing, each side wall I has secured thereto an inwardly extending pivot pin 5| threaded at 52' on its inner free end. Spaced washers 53, 54 are mounted on the pin in spaced relation. The pin 5| extends through a relatively large opening 55 in the upper end of. arm I2. On each side of the opening 55 in each arm there is a rubber disk 56 and each disk is formed with a central aperture through which the pin 5| extends. These rubber disks 56 are clamped to the upper end of the arms I2 by a nut 51 bearing on the outer washer53. The rubber disks 56 are clamped between the washers 53 and 54 and this construction formsthe pivotal connection between the arms I2 and the side wall I5 of the casing.

Having described my invention What I claim In an electric fan, a base, a casing including side walls and open at each end, a pair of supporting arms rising from the base and pivoted at their free ends to intermediate portions of the side walls, crossed braces carried by the walls of the casing bridging one open end of the casing, a motor driven fan carried by the cross braces and surrounded by the walls of the casing, air deflecting vanes pivoted to oscillate on a vertical axis adjacent theother open end of the casing and forwardly of the fan, a gear housing carried by the cross braces, a vertical shaft journaled at its lower end in the casing, means coacting with the motor driven fan to rotate the shaft, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to the vanes, and

an eccentric connection between the shaft and the other end of the connecting rod to oscillate the deflecting vanes.

JOHN G. MACDONALD. 

